This invention relates to a modular bus seat construction. In particular this invention is directed to school bus seats. Specifically, this invention relates to a new bus seat construction or to a retrofit of an existing bus seat. This new inventive bus seat is comprised of a front modular portion, a rear modular portion, a collar portion and a seat portion. The front, rear and seat portions are comprised of wood and a elastomer skinned urethane foam. The elastomer skinned urethane foam is adhered to the plywood. The collar portion is comprised of an elastomer skinned urethane foam. The front modular portion, the rear modular portion, and the collar portion comprise the bus seat back.
Existing school bus seats are comprised of a metal frame and a plywood superstructure. In particular, for the bus seat back the plywood is inserted into the metal frame and it is maintained in place by means of the plywood being crimped into position within a channel. In regard to the bus seat, plywood is affixed to the metal frame by hinge and locking means. A rebonded foam is used on the existing school bus seats. A vinyl is stretched over the rebonded foam and is sewn together. One deficiency of the existing school bus seat is that the vinyl which is stretched over the rebonded foam is easily torn. Vandalism on school buses is quite common. The usual site of the vandalism is on the rear of the bus seat.
The present invention relates to a bus seat which is comprised of a front modular portion, a rear modular portion, collar portion, and a seat portion. The front modular portion comprises a first piece of plywood which has adhered to it an elastomer skinned urethane foam. The front modular portion is manufactured by coating the inside of a mold with a spray elastomer. A piece of plywood is then inserted into the mold. The mold is next injected with a urethane foam which adheres to the plywood and to the sprayed on elastomer such that the wood-urethane foam-elastomer skin becomes a single integral construction.
The same process is used to manufacture the rear and seat modular portions of the present invention. In a similar fashion, the collar portion is of an integral construction although the collar portion does not have a plywood or a wood superstructure.
In particular, the present invention is designed primarily, although not exclusively, to meet the needs of retrofitting existing school bus seats. The existing school bus seats are inadequate such that the materials they are manufactured from, to wit, a vinyl which is sewn and stretched over a rebonded foam, is easily torn by vandals. Additionally, in the case of the existing school bus seats, the entire seat back or seat needs to be repaired when a section thereof has been vandalized. For instance, if a vandal rips the back of a bus seat back, the entire vinyl covering must be removed and repaired or replaced. The present invention provides an integrally bonded elastomer skinned urethane foam plywood structure. The elastomer skin of the present invention can be made in different thicknesses; therefore, if a thicker surface is desired on the back side of the bus seat back which is typically the case, such a thickness can be easily provided.
It is an object of the present invention: to provide a bus seat of modular construction. Specifically, the bus seat of the present invention comprises a front modular portion, a rear modular portion, a collar portion, and a seat portion.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a modular bus seat which may be used to replace existing bus seats. This is accomplished through the simple removal of the existing plywood used in the school bus seat. It is then replaced with the appropriate modular portion of the present invention. The rear modular portion of the bus seat back is affixed to the front modular portion. The seat modular portion is affixed to the bus seat frame. The collar portion generally surrounds the existing metal frame of the bus seat back and is affixed to the front modular portion of the bus seat.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a modular bus seat which enables the replacement of one portion of the bus seat at a time. For instance, the present invention permits replacement of the back or rear modular portion of the bus seat back through the simple disconnection of the rear modular portion by means of loosening a few bolts.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a school bus seat which is durable. In particular, the present invention provides a school bus seat having an elastomer skinned surface which is durable and which may be of varying thicknesses in various places.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a process for retrofitting existing school bus seats which comprise the steps of removing existing plywood from the existing bus seat frame, spraying a mold with an elastomer spray, inserting a piece of wood into the mold, and then injecting the mold with the urethane foam which bonds to the wood and integrally forms an elastomeric skin thereon, and then finally by inserting the wood with the elastomer skinned urethane foam adhered thereto into engagement with the bus seat frame.
These and other objects of the invention will be best understood in connection with the brief description of the drawings and the description of the preferred embodiment and claims which follow.